Colin Farrell’s ‘Winter’s Tale’ Set For Valentine’s Day Release

Sixth title set for release on Feb. 14, 2014

Warner Bros. has opted for a Feb. 14 release in North America for Colin Farrell’s romance-drama “Winter’s Tale,” Akiva Goldsman’s directorial debut — the sixth title to land on the Valentine’s Day date.

The film, based on Mark Helprin’s novel and adapted by Goldsman, is set in a mythic New York City and spans more than a century. Farrell (pictured with Josh Lieberman) portrays a thief who breaks into a dying young woman’s home and ends up falling for her.

Goldsman is also producing, with Marc Platt, Michael Tadross and Tony Allard. “Winter’s Tale” was produced by the studio and Village Roadshow Pictures.

“Winter’s Tale” will go up against two other romance titles — Universal’s “Endless Love” and Sony/Screen Gems “About Last Night.” Also set for the date are Fox’s sci-fier “The Maze Runner,” Relativity’s thriller “Three Days to Kill” and The Weinstein Co.’s fantasy “Vampire Academy.”

The hope is Colin Farrell will express some humor in WINTER’S TALE, an emotion he’s been denied in just about every film of his thus far. The dark and dour (often sour) attitude that he has portrayed have –coincidentally?– been movies the average moviegoer didn’t want to see. Jokes, laughs, even ribald humor might help.